Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

4 Ways To Start Off Your Semester Off Right

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Jessica Kline Student Contributor, Bryant University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bryant chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

1.  Get organized

This is probably the simplest tip to follow because when you are starting your semester, chances are you have new notebooks, full-of-ink pens, and a swanky new planner.  Your room is also probably dust-free, your shoes are organized by color, and the fridge shelves are sparkly clean.  Take advantage of all of this “newness” and get yourself organized-you may fall in love with this new routine and keep it going all year!

If you have a big fat planner, rip out all the previous pages and make it smaller.  Start throwing in important dates and reminders to begin taking control of your own schedule.  Be careful to not over schedule yourself this semester or put more on your plate than you can eat.  Label all of your notebooks with a cute colored sharpie and line up your books neatly on your desk.  Labeling your notebooks will prevent you from grabbing the wrong one for class!

 

2.  Exercise on the reg

Exercise when you can because you never know if you’ll be busy tomorrow!  If you think you don’t have time to exercise because your extra-curriculars or academics are too demanding then you are wrong.  Exercising should be just as important as your academics and extra-curriculars because at the end of the day, exercising relieves stress and makes you a healthier you.  Incorporate exercising into your daily routine just like you incorporate club meetings, working, homework, and friend time.  Plus, nobody can resist a girl who is committed to feeling good.  

3.  Take risks

If you’re reading this, you are most likely between the ages of 18-22.  While you’re young, take risks.  If you take a risk that ends well, then you’ll be one happy chick and if it ends bad then aren’t you a little bit wiser?  Don’t ever regret things!  Start off this semester right by taking risks.  Don’t be scared to go back and reignite that old flame, if your special someone blows it out then you can walk away knowing you tried.  Pick up that class you think you’ll love but you know it’ll be hard.  I don’t think employers should hire you based upon how you did in some random class so take the risk to fall in love with a class that has nothing to do with your major and risk it!

4.  Network

Networking is so important in today’s business world.  After all, you have to know someone to get somewhere at the end of the day.  There are hundreds of thousands, and even millions, of people who have the same grades you do, are receiving the same degree, and even have the same hobbies and interests. How are you supposed to separate yourself at that point?  Networking.  Spark employers attention through your personality and the ability to have a rock solid handshake.  Attend all the events your career center puts on, sneak into your college’s conferences (that’s a bit extreme, but hey if you could pull it off), and don’t be nervous to strike up a career conversation with an alum sitting next to you at a sports event.  Collect as many business cards as possible, always send handwritten thank you notes after an interview, and have an updated resume ready to print or email at any given moment.  Start off your spring semester right with connections on LinkedIn and in person!


 
Jessica is a senior at Bryant University where she is majoring in management and double minoring in marketing and communication.  She holds the position as Editor-In-Chief of Her Campus Bryant and was actually one of the first founding members!  Beyond Her Campus Bryant, she is the Vice President of the Bryant Marketing Association and a MyPath Mentor.  She loves working at the Amica Center for Career Education where she manages their marketing and social media efforts but also enjoys her time at the Hassenfeld Institute for Public Leadership and the school's bookstore. When at home in Connecticut, she loves to watch movies with her family, play with her dog, have bonfires with friends, sleepovers with her sister, and scrapbook! Jessica aspires to one day manage her own department of a fortune 500 company, or even run her own company with a little bit of writing on the side!  Upon graduating this coming May, she will jump-start her career at EMC as a Marketing Development Associate in the Marketing Development Program.